Chapter 90 - 58: Idle Learning Arrays

Chapter 90: Chapter 58: Idle Learning Arrays

Once the *Yin Yang Cave Profound Array* was successfully cultivated, it would condense a "Chess Soul."

Or rather, an "Array Soul."

As long as Cultivators read and memorized knowledge related to arrays or the ways of chess, upon activating the Chess Soul, it would automatically comprehend and deduce the information. The user did not need to understand this knowledge themselves; they only needed to learn it by rote and swallow the information whole without digesting it. The comprehension part could be left entirely to their Chess Soul.

Of course, despite being named "Chess Soul," its most crucial function was naturally to comprehend and deduce arrays, thereby elevating one’s Array Dao Mastery.

In Li Yinsheng’s understanding, the Chess Soul was more like a secondary brain exclusively responsible for thinking and grasping array and chess knowledge. It allowed a person to multitask, splitting their focus to research arrays while continuing to perform normal tasks.

However, the Chess Soul was not the essence of this Magic. Even in the eyes of its creator, the Chess Soul was merely an unexpected, albeit not very useful, bonus. Because while the Chess Soul indeed allowed one to multitask and learn arrays, activating it consumed Heart and Spirit. And it was a massive drain on Heart and Spirit, consuming even more than normal cultivation.

Although it was impossible to study and delve into complex arrays without expending Heart and Spirit, the Chess Soul’s consumption was far greater. This destined the Chess Soul to be of marginal utility when it came to studying arrays; it could only be effective in a few rather specific situations.

For instance, if an Array Master was fighting another Array Master and couldn’t afford to be distracted during Magical Combat, they could activate the Chess Soul to multitask, letting it deduce the weaknesses in the opponent’s array. Or, when facing a Cultivator with a clear shortcoming, one could engage in close combat while activating the Chess Soul to modify their own array, slightly altering its effects to better counter the opponent once set up.

But even using it this way carried massive risks. After all, excessive consumption of Heart and Spirit would cause one to reveal openings during Magical Combat. It was highly possible that before they found the weakness in the opponent’s array or modified their own to counter them, they would be defeated first due to an exposed flaw.

Therefore, within this Cultivation Technique, the Chess Soul was more of a temporary measure. It couldn’t replace the daily study of arrays. Otherwise, if one used all their Heart and Spirit to activate the Chess Soul, they could forget about cultivating altogether.

But for Li Yinsheng, this wasn’t an issue at all.

Within the Grotto Heaven, he could activate the Chess Soul at will, multitasking to cultivate and deduce arrays simultaneously. He just needed to make sure he memorized more array books in his daily life to ensure his Chess Soul wouldn’t fall into the dilemma of "thinking without learning is perilous" when he entered the Grotto Heaven to cultivate. After all, the Chess Soul only replaced thinking; it couldn’t replace actual learning.

This way, the Chess Soul guaranteed that every time he cultivated in the Grotto Heaven, he would be constantly improving his Array Dao Mastery on autopilot. As for the price, it was nothing more than a slight increase in his consumption of Heart and Spirit.

In truth, ever since obtaining the Grotto Heaven and roughly understanding its rules, Li Yinsheng had been searching for similar bug-exploiting methods. Using the Blood Refining Core to assist with Refining Body was one such example. But he had already turned the Scripture Pavilion of Xuanzhen Temple upside down without finding any other methods with similar effects.

That was until today, when Fellow Daoist Meng brought him this Yin Yang Cave Profound Array Skill—a Magic that could condense a Chess Soul and consume Heart and Spirit to elevate Array Dao Mastery.

There was no way he would let this Magic slip through his fingers.

He actually didn’t care much about the methods recorded within to manifest chess pieces with Magical Power to form arrays, nor the dozen or so supplementary arrays included. Only this function of condensing the Chess Soul was of equal importance to him as the Blood Refining Core.

Then again, although this Magic could improve one’s Chess Skill, that was only a side benefit. The main focus was Array Dao Mastery; Chess Skill had little impact on the power of the Magic itself. Because, ultimately, this was still a Magic meant for combat against enemies. It simply used Magical Power to manifest Yin and Yang pieces as the "materials" for Array Formation.

It was like swinging a chessboard to smash someone—would the exact same chessboard deal more damage in the hands of a Chess Saint than someone else? That would make no sense.

Just as Li Yinsheng was pondering what Magic or Cultivation Technique he could use to exchange with the Jade Altar Temple for this *Yin Yang Cave Profound Array*, Meng Yu suddenly spoke up, "This spell is not being taught privately. I asked my master last night using my Communication Magical Artifact and have already received my master’s approval."

"Ah?" Li Yinsheng almost thought he had misheard. "Your master? The Temple Master of the Jade Altar Temple? Agreed?"

Meng Yu nodded. "Master said that as long as you promise not to pass it on to anyone else, I can teach it to you."

Hearing there was a condition, Li Yinsheng felt this was somewhat more normal. But was this the only condition?

Seeing the confused look on Li Yinsheng’s face, Meng Yu felt even more confused. Did he not like this Magic?

After returning to her room last night, not wanting to teach Li Yinsheng chess anymore but still wanting to see him, she had quickly thought of this Magic. Since she liked playing chess to begin with, she had naturally learned it. She had already condensed the Chess Soul, though it wasn’t very useful to her. Whether it was her chess strength or Array Dao Mastery, cultivating on her own was much faster than activating the Chess Soul.

The most important part of this Magic was actually using it to manifest chess pieces for Array Formation, as well as the dozen or so highly practical arrays recorded within it. If she could teach Li Yinsheng this Magic instead of teaching him chess, it would undoubtedly be a win-win solution.

Thus, she worked through the night to ask her master using her Communication Magical Artifact. While reporting the events of the past few days, she conveniently asked if she could teach this *Yin Yang Cave Profound Array* to Li Yinsheng.

When the sky had just begun to brighten, she received her master’s reply.

It could be taught, but Li Yinsheng was only allowed to learn it for himself and could not pass it on to others.

This time, her good intentions had led to bad results, exposing Li Yinsheng to the eyes of Shouyi Temple. Although, based on her description, Li Yinsheng didn’t seem to care much, some compensation was still necessary. After all, with Li Yinsheng’s talent, becoming a Daoist in the future was practically set in stone. Naturally, they couldn’t let slip an opportunity to befriend him in advance.

And so, Meng Yu had come straight to Li Yinsheng with this Magic in hand.

Now, seeing Li Yinsheng struggling over whether to accept it or not, she took out a palm-sized mirror from her Qiankun Bag. This was her Communication Magical Artifact. It was incredibly precious, and if she hadn’t been entrusted with a heavy responsibility by the temple this time, it wouldn’t have been issued to her at all.

"Fellow Daoist Li, look."

She handed the mirror to Li Yinsheng, displaying the conversation between her and her master from the previous night on it.

Looking at the glaring words from the Temple Master of the Jade Altar Temple on the mirror—"This boy has the potential of a Daoist; he is worth befriending"—Li Yinsheng didn’t know what expression to make.

He returned the mirror to Meng Yu, accepted the *Yin Yang Cave Profound Array* she handed him, cupped his hands in a salute, and spoke solemnly. "Fellow Daoist Meng, your favor, as well as the favor of the Jade Altar Temple, I have committed to memory."

Meng Yu blinked, ignoring the promise of owed favors, and instead asked, "This Magic is a bit difficult. Do you need me to teach you?"

"I truly have very little understanding of the Array Dao. It would naturally be wonderful to have Fellow Daoist Meng teach me." Li Yinsheng hesitated slightly. "But at this time, with the monsters coming up the mountain and the array activated, can you really spare the time as the main person in charge of the array?"

"It’s fine," Meng Yu shook her head. "Someone is covering for me."

"Covering for you? Are they reliable?" Li Yinsheng was a little curious.

"It’s the junior brother and sister who acted as my assistants when constructing the Bright Spirit Refining Array for Xuanzhen Temple," Meng Yu said.

"Oh!" Li Yinsheng came to a sudden realization.

"I’m only relatively free during these first few days. Five days from now, when the monsters become more numerous, I won’t be able to easily leave the core of the Grand Array," Meng Yu explained.

"Then I must ask Fellow Daoist Meng to instruct me some more today, while you still have the time," Li Yinsheng said. As for checking on his junior sister... a short while longer wouldn’t hurt. He would master the Magic before going.

"Mm!" Meng Yu immediately nodded.

About two hours later.

Before a dumbfounded Meng Yu, Li Yinsheng continuously flicked his ten fingers in the air. Black and white beams of light danced and spiraled, transforming into a simple array that enveloped him. As the final pitch-black chess piece landed on its corresponding array node, the array, along with Li Yinsheng inside, quickly bled outwards like a drop of ink in a water vat, turning completely transparent.

Yin Yang Cave Profound Array: Shadow Concealment Array.

This was an array used to conceal one’s aura and figure, and it was quite simple to execute. However, as it was Li Yinsheng’s first time interacting with arrays, he could feel that his usage was still very unrefined. Right now, the array only had the effect of hiding his physical form; concealing his aura relied entirely on his own efforts.

If a Cultivator with a similar level of Cultivation or a slightly higher Array Dao Mastery were present, they would be able to see through a Shadow Concealment Array of this caliber at a glance. However, for those with low Cultivation, he would be incredibly difficult to detect.

Watching Li Yinsheng vanish into thin air before her eyes without leaving a single trace of an aura—forcing her to rely entirely on the lingering traces of Array Formation to locate him—Meng Yu’s usually expressionless face was left frozen in sheer disbelief.

She thought, "This makes no sense. It shouldn’t be possible."